San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-12-16
v al RI O.
or,
HALF A TR ] TIL .
BY "THE DUCHESS. "

place in the heart of his betrOthed-a place
which, in truth, he had never occupied.
81 shouldn't have thought" said Amy,
drily-she was straightforward and plain
spoken, and Valerie never resented this
that it was a matter Of 'hampering' and
debating"
81 see. His slightest wish ought to be
law, chr" said Beauty, laughing
Wouldn't you feel like that for any
man you loved, Valerie:"
II might. "-dubiously-as II she could
only conjecture, while her heart rose up
with a wild throb of passionate pain
Would not look Of Max Beauregard's be
law for herr
You might" echoed Amy-"you might
Oh, Valerier'
"Oh, Amy" cried the other, putting her
pretty fingers in her ears in mock dismay,
'pray, pray don't be moral, and high prin-
cipled, and loye-in-a-cottage-and all that
sort of thing I haven't heard such talk
since left the cOuntry-except from you.
Your tea is getting cold, and so is mine"
"Your heart is getting coldr' cried Amy,
warmly; 1.-The world is spelling you-no
wonder! you are so beautiful, and so fused
about and run after. But you've got a
heart, and strong one, and you'll find it
out some day; perhaps when it's too late"
When marry a man for his money,
and fall in love with his most intimate
friend That's the rule" said Valerie flip
PANTY.
'You are determined not TO he serious"
exclaimed Amy. But you'll repent it IL
you marry Aston Lawford."
"Oh, my prophetic soulr' sighed Valerie,
leaning back in her old attitude again.
do you know" she went on, that in
Paris they used to call us Beauty and the
Beastt'
Amy could not help laughing at this,
though she was panied TO find how much a
few months of luxurious worldly life had
changed Valerie for the worse.
"The name was apt enough she said.
"Y0u can't like him, Valerier'
Like hint ! told you he bored me-"
"Then you oughtn't to dream of marry
ing him, " said Amy, bluntly.
81 don't know that have dreamt of it.
Why, have hardly tapped my wings yet.
am only eighteen Fancy tying myself
up in such hurry
"You want to break dozen hearts be-
Amy, half lightly, half seriously.
Aunt Constance doesn't think hearts
necessary in marriage, said Valerie grave
ly. "She puts her faith in settlements and
pin-money"
"And do you agree with herr"
81 haven't quite made up my mind. 1t
Is very nice to have everything one wants,
isn't it?"
Eyes, everything" said Amy; but you
don't get that if you are tied to a man you
don't care for. Perhaps you never did love
Mr.. Charters as much as you fancied, or
you would't talk as you do. But l am
quite certain You are not girl to be happy
with husband you couldn't love"
"Why are you certain?' asked Valerie,
with curious flash in her dark eyes.
ooh, from many things; and mamma
you know she is very keen in matters of
Characteristic that for you to play tricks
with your heart would be like "a child play
ing with fire."
Valerie grew white, and set her teeth.
81 half know that myself" she said-did
she not wholly know it?-"but you know,
Amy aunt Constance had me up to marry
me off,
II know she did But wouldn't you
sooner go home again than marry merely
for money!"
go back to that dull, quiet life" said
Valerie, with a shudder. "No, no, not
now. couldn't endure it, Don't you re
member Hans Anderson's story of the
mermaid, who was given legs and feet that
she might live among mortals. only, as a
punishment, every step she took was like
treading on the edges Of swords? Still,
she bore the agony rather than return to
her old life in the caves under the sea-"
Again Amy looked steadily at her friend.
This golden-haired girl of eighteen was an
enigma.
But, Valerie" she said, 'if remember
rightly, 1t was not the love of the world
that made the mermaid accept the pleas
ure with the pain, but the love of a mortal;
she is in love with some prince"
Valerie did not color now; she felt as if
all the blood in her body rushed to her
heart. For full minute she could not
move or speak; but she had thrown her
head so far back that Amy could only see
her features imperfectly, and attributed
her silence to perplexity at the failure of
her smile.
w as Iudb it9 BlLl SAUL Ut lthSILJ
when she could trust her voice. But of
course I only used the comparison. might
do as much for the world as the mermaid
did for love-
IF you do, Valerie, you will find that the
pleasure is not worth the PAIN
"'Oh, c'CSt pdmOUr, rGmOUr, rGnOUr,
Qui fGit tOltlWer lc mOHdc,''
chanted Valerie, under her breath; but she
did it mockingly, and suddenly started for
ward, as someone knocked at the door.
Come i'm she said, quickly, and FanCh-
on entered with the evening papers.
ooh, military mad cried Amy, laugh
ing as the maid retired, and Valerie turn
ed eagerly to the kilograms, purpOsely
bending down her face so as to hide it.
II am soldiers daughter she retoTt-
ed; land know so many of the men COM
ing home-T feel as if | knew them all"
You ought to marry a soldier, Valerie"
They're generally poor replied the
girl, with laugh that was almost hard,